US revives Jolo from militancy!

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

Jolo, Philippines, Jan 26: A few years ago, what Noraida and her high school friends do would be unthinkable -- going out at night in Jolo, the bastion of the deadliest Islamic militant group in the Philippines.

Now, the provincial capitol building of Jolo is flooded with green, blue, yellow and red lights each night. Scores of people visit its grounds, which have been transformed into a park.

''We are having fun here every night, this has become a favourite hang out for teenagers,'' said Noraida, sharing roast chicken with three friends at an open-air restaurant near the capitol grounds.

There was little to differentiate the 17-year-old from any other teenager in the Philippines -- she was wearing jeans and T-shirt and giggled incessantly while talking.

''We couldn't go out late at night before because of the curfew, but things have started to change since the US soldiers started arriving,'' she said.

Abu Sayyaf militants, who have taken refuge on the Muslim-dominated island of Jolo for years, have been pushed back into the hills since US troops arrived in 2002 to help train their Philippine counterparts and provide intelligence.

In the 4-years since, the situation on Jolo island and in the town of the same name has improved hugely, residents say. A night curfew has been lifted and there is a buzz as commerce flourishes and fear dissipates.

''We have live bands, dancing and movies on Saturday nights so our people could relax,'' said Benjamin Loong, a business executive who was elected governor of Sulu province, of which Jolo is the capital, in 2004.

''We're trying to erase the negative impression on our province as a no-man's land due to the Abu Sayyaf menace.''

LAWLESS

In 2000, Abu Sayyaf militants raided a resort across the Malaysian border and kidnapped 21 people, including German, French, Finnish and South African tourists, and brought them to Jolo.

After they received huge ransoms, the rebels kidnapped another group of tourists, including three Americans, from the Philippine resort island of Palawan. Two of the Americans were killed.

Jolo town was virtually lawless then and pistol shots rang out regularly at night. Troops patrolled the streets, but the Abu Sayyaf was known to operate openly in the town.

''Now, you can walk around at night freely and you can observe that many people can now afford to buy a brand new or second-hand scooter,'' city official Mohammad Alih told sources.

''There's no war here, it's only in the mountains, it's too far away to affect us.'' The change is pronounced among the young.

''I hate violence, I hate the Abu Sayyaf,'' said high school student Perhana Sahidjun, 13, waving the US and Philippine flags after US embassy officials inaugurated a school building with Internet-connected computers in Maimbung town.

''I'm scared and tired of fleeing from my village every time soldiers clashed with the Abu Sayyaf. I wish they would go away and leave us peacefully because I want to become a teacher some day.'' Not all the people on the island are happy though.

''We were OK here before the military came in,'' said a Muslim preacher who only gave his name as Umbra.

''It's the military that was creating trouble here. Those Americans have two faces. We should not trust them because they may look kind in front of you but they are the enemies of Islam.'' Some residents said it was not safe yet to travel outside the main town of Jolo, particularly in areas around Patikul, Talipao and Indanan towns due to the presence of Muslim militants and bandits on the lookout for potential kidnap and robbery victims.

The Tausugs, who dominate the 600,000 population of the island, are renowned for their love of weapons and their propensity to use them.

But Loong, the governor, said things were changing.

''The mindset of the people of Sulu has been transformed,'' he said. ''The Tausugs are beginning to value their farms more than their guns.''

Reuters

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